MUMBAI, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Three years ago an inquisitive American tourist wandered into a waterfront slum in Mumbai and met a tiny, smiley girl.
In March, a luxury Indian cosmetics brand Forest Essentials chose Maleesha as the face of its Yuvati campaign celebrating young Indian women.
[1/5]Maleesha Kharwa, 15, a model and Instagram Influencer, takes a selfie next to a bus terminal in Mumbai, India, September 11, 2023.
Since then, Maleesha has become a social media influencer, using the hashtag 'the princess from the slum' in some of her posts.
Reporting by Hemanshi Kamani, writing by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Kharwa, Maleesha, Influencer, Hemanshi, Robert Hoffman, Hoffman, Hemanshi Kamani, Tanvi Mehta, Simon Cameron, Moore
Organizations:
Cosmopolitan India, REUTERS, Thomson
Locations:
MUMBAI, Mumbai, India, American